"In this talk, attendees will be provided with an introduction to Kafka Connect and the basics of Single Message Transforms (SMTs) and how they can be used to transform data streams in a simple and efficient way. SMTs are a powerful feature of Kafka Connect that allow custom logic to be applied to individual messages as they pass through the data pipeline. The session will explain how SMTs work, the types of transformations they can be used for, and how they can be applied in a modular and composable way. Further, the session will discuss where SMTs fit in with Kafka Connect and when they should be used. Examples will be provided of how SMTs can be used to solve common data integration challenges, such as data enrichment, filtering, and restructuring. Attendees will also learn about the limitations of SMTs and when it might be more appropriate to use other tools or frameworks. Additionally, an overview of the alternatives to SMTs, such as Kafka Streams and KSQL, will be provided. This will help attendees make an informed decision about which approach is best for their specific use case. Whether attendees are developers, data engineers, or data scientists, this talk will provide valuable insights into how Kafka Connect and SMTs can help streamline data processing workflows. Attendees will come away with a better understanding of how these tools work and how they can be used to solve common data integration challenges."